


Eternalism

by WrathoftheStag (Mwuahna)



Series: Giving Themselves [13]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: M/M, Mild Angst, Obsessive Love, hannigram domesticity, insatiable will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:38:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8394826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mwuahna/pseuds/WrathoftheStag
Summary: Will and Hannibal cancel plans in the outside world to spent the weekend together holed up in Hannibal’s house. Part of the Giving Themselves Completely series, a season 1 AU where Will and Hannibal begin dating after the Tobias Budge incident.  Picks up after What Do the Beautiful People Do?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [victorine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/victorine/gifts).



>   
>    
> 

_Oh god it’s wonderful_  
_to get out of bed_  
_and drink too much coffee_  
_and smoke too many cigarettes_  
_and love you so much_  
\-- **Coffee** , Frank O’Hara

* * *

**Friday Evening**

“Will, we must leave in the next five minutes,” Hannibal called from the bottom of the staircase. “How long does it take to put on a tuxedo?”

There was no response.

“Do you need help with your bow tie again? Hannibal sighed and walked upstairs. 

“Will?” Hannibal entered the bedroom, expecting to find Will struggling with his bow tie at the mirror instead he walked in to find Will naked, save for the loose bow tie slung around his neck, on the bed.

“What’s this?” Hannibal asked, a smile beginning to spread across his face.

“I’ve decided I don’t want us to go to the opera,” Will said with a suggestive look on his face as he slowly ran his hand down his chest, along his hip, and rested it gently over his cock.

“I see…” Hannibal said as he swallowed thickly and approached the bed, “This is very underhanded, Will.”

“I think it’s more _over_ handed,” Will replied palming himself, and then gave one slow squeeze.

Hannibal began to undo his bow tie, “And I do not appreciate the manipulation. Mrs. Komeda was looking forward to meeting you this evening.”

“Uh huh,” Will said as he licked his lips. “I bet.”

“I should have you call her and apologize,” Hannibal said as he put his jacket on the chair and began slipping off his shoes.

“Or I can just throw myself at your mercy, Hannibal.”

**+++**

The crumpled tuxedo on the floor would have caused the previously single Hannibal to have a conniption. The heavily involved Hannibal, however, didn’t seem to mind...too much.

Will kissed Hannibal’s damp neck, and as he curled into him in between kisses muttered, “My plan is to have you again and again throughout this entire weekend.”

“I do not mind at all, but to what do I owe this sudden increased _interest_?” Hannibal asked then kissed Will’s flushed forehead.

“I don’t know -- I just, I just want to eat you alive. I need you,” Will said then whispered into Hannibal’s mouth, “I _need_ you.”

Hannibal Lecter was never one to argue with solid logic. At least not when it benefited him, anyway.

**+++**

“Thanks, Tommy. I’ll be home Sunday night,” Will said into his phone. He sat up in bed, hugging his knees with one arm, resting his head on the other while holding the phone. Hannibal leaned against the headboard, and caressed Will’s back slowly up and down.

Hannibal smirked as Will made plans for his pack. He was serious then, about staying the entire weekend.

“Of course, help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. I have some left over boeuf bourguignon in there...yeah, it’s like fancy beef stew. Sure thing, have fun.”

Will hung up and sighed, “Thank goodness, he can watch them all weekend. He’s actually going to stay at my place.”

“Is that safe?” Hannibal asked.

“Sure. What’s he going to do, steal my out-of-tune piano? I don’t have anything valuable but you. Besides, if you were a teenager would you steal from your neighbor who works for the FBI?”

“I suppose not.”

“I bet he’s going to have sex with his girlfriend in my house,” Will said with a slight moue.

“The dogs will be scandalized.”

“You think? With as many times as they’ve seen us do it?”

“Yes, but they know us.”

“Listen to yourself, love. You are starting to sound like a dog person,” Will laughed. 

“Hardly!” Hannibal sniffed. “Are you hungry?”

Will smiled, “I could eat.” 

He then began to turn and crawl toward Hannibal, and pulled him down supine. Will moved down and pressed the softest of kisses starting at the tops of Hannibal’s feet, and slowly worked his way up. A kiss on each shin, one on each knee, another on his inner thigh -- every kiss causing Hannibal to arch his back slightly. Will looked up at Hannibal with hooded eyes, and smiled as he pulled both of Hannibal’s knees up, while parting his legs widely. 

“Will, I’m not as young as you are,” Hannibal said, eyes crinkling. “I may need a moment.”

Hannibal moaned as Will then bent down and lapped his tongue against the hot fleshy pink ring causing Hannibal to lift his thighs and meet Will’s mouth. Will, determined, licked and pressed his tongue in, breaching Hannibal. He then took the lube from the nightstand, poured some on his fingers and began to gently tease Hannibal open. 

“That’s okay,” Will said, pulling away slowly, ”I’ll do all the work -- you can just lie there.”

Solid logic won yet again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Saturday, Early Morning**

Around 1:00 in the morning, Will’s growling tummy woke him up. He was regretting his pass on dinner (sex always won out of course, but oh man, a PBJ would be great right about now.) He glanced over at Hannibal who was sound asleep after Will had good and thoroughly fucked him into oblivion. He picked up Hannibal’s tuxedo shirt from the floor, slipped it on and went downstairs while buttoning it. 

Will turned on the kitchen light and walked around, running his hand along the butcher block island. He no longer felt like a stranger in Hannibal’s home, and this room in particular held a special place in his heart. It seemed like the most important moments with Hannibal were always in the kitchen.

He took in the entire kitchen: the place where Will told Hannibal he was falling in love with him, the stainless steel counter where Hannibal had gone down on Will for the first time, the leather arm chair in the corner where Will rode Hannibal as if his life depended on it. 

Will smiled and walked over to the pantry hoping he would find some peanut butter. He looked through the pantry examining the wine, the various spices, jars, and oils. So many inanimate objects that when clustered together, spelled out Hannibal; an imago in Will’s mind created by saffron, olive oil, and tempranillo. Then he saw it, a jar of peanut butter -- a _fancy_ jar of peanut butter. Who knew Barneys sold peanut butter?

Will grabbed the peanut butter and a homemade loaf of bread from the pantry and headed back to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and found some orange marmalade. He was so absorbed in slicing the bread, he hadn’t heard Hannibal sneak up behind him until Hannibal grabbed Will from behind, covered his mouth and caused him to drop the bread knife.

“Jesus, Hannibal!” Will laughed as he quickly turned around to face him. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Will, you are far too easy to surprise. You should be more aware of your surroundings,” Hannibal chastised.

“Well, I didn’t think I’d have to be en garde at my boyfriend’s house,” he said.

Hannibal’s mouth quirked slightly, “Your boyfriend?”

“Well, what the hell should I call you? Manfriend?” he asked as he unscrewed the lid off the peanut butter. “And if you dare say lover, I swear I’ll grab my things and go home right this second.”

Hannibal laughed, “No, lover sounds ridiculous -- as if we were in some tedious French film about adultery.”

“Thank you,” Will said with a smile, and began to spread the marmalade on the bread. Hannibal watched Will with intense fascination studying him while he opened the peanut butter, trying to decipher what made this unusual creature before him tick, and he couldn’t wait to figure it all out. Hannibal was certain he’d have all the time in the world.

Will looked inside the jar, “Hey! This...this looks like spoon divots in here.”

“Oh?”

“Love, do you eat peanut butter with a spoon straight out of the jar?”

“Why?” Hannibal asked quickly.

“Because that is adorable.” 

“Maybe?”

“Do you double dip?” Will asked smiling broadly.

“I live alone, so I can do whatever I want in my own home.”

Will smirked, “Adorable. Well, you won’t live alone for long, Doctor. I don’t mind if you double dip. You have your idiosyncrasies and I have mine. If you forgive my less unsavory ones, I’ll absolutely forgive yours.”

“I love you completely,” Hannibal said immediately.

Will put down the knife and smiled. “And I love you, too. Always.” His expression became very grave and then added after a pause, “Do you understand and believe that?” 

Hannibal nodded. Words were living things with personality, point of view, agenda, and Will wanted no misunderstandings at all when it came to his love.

“Good.”

“Mongoose, are you not wearing underwear?” Hannibal asked needing to add some levity to the moment, although not sure why.

“Oh, yeah. I’m not,” Will blushed. “I just threw your shirt on and came foraging for food.”

Hannibal looked at Will’s legs and moved his gaze upward, then said, “When I was a young man in Florence, I was fascinated with Botticelli’s Primavera. I’d visit the Uffizi and sketch in front of it often. You, my Will, are infinitely more lovely than that.”

Will blushed again as he took a bite of his sandwich. 

“Would you like a glass of milk?” Hannibal asked.

Will nodded, “I’ll get it.”

Will opened the refrigerator door, and reached for the milk when he felt Hannibal instantly behind him. He turned Will around, pulling Will’s shirt open -- buttons pinged against the floor -- and dropped to his knees. Hannibal swallowed Will down, talking him to the hilt, all the while his eyes never leaving Will’s face.

Will groaned leaning against the refrigerator, as Hannibal grabbed his ass, pulling him deeper and deeper still into his hot, wet mouth. Will’s world began to tilt once again, as Hannibal continued, ravenous and unrelenting. Soon Will was panting, and it doesn’t take long, not with Hannibal’s gorgeously talented mouth. He comes once again in the kitchen, Hannibal taking all Will has to offer.

**+++**

**Saturday Morning**

“I’d like to make you breakfast,” Will said as he rested his head on Hannibal’s stomach and languidly ran his fingers through Hannibal’s hair, ghosting them just over his cock. The clock in the bedroom ticked away and echoed throughout the space.

“Oh? And what would you like to make?” Hannibal asked as he stroked Will’s ears.

“What about bacon and pancakes? Do we have bacon?”

“Hmm, I have some thick cut Black Forest bacon I picked up from the butcher the other day.”

“Well then, I’ll make some pancakes and fancy ass thick cut Black Forest bacon,” Will replied getting out of bed. He slipped on Hannibal’s red sweater and pulled on a pair of silk pajama pants.

“And coffee. An abundance of coffee,” Hannibal said. “I’ll just shower quickly and come downstairs.” 

“Don’t. Please don’t. I don’t want you to shower. I want us to smell like one another,” Will said as he paused in the doorway.

“Very well, _mylimasis_. I’ll be down momentarily.”

Will nodded and smiled, then walked downstairs.

Hannibal sat on the edge of the bed, and took Will’s glasses from the nightstand. He held them in his hand, looked at them, suddenly feeling as though time had finally reversed for him. 

This unusual, cantankerous creature who can see into the darkest of monsters and still survive, had helped the teacup Hannibal shattered so long ago, come together. If Hannibal let Will in all the way -- let him see him _completely_ \-- would Will still want him? Could he?

**+++**

“Lemon zest in the pancakes,” Will announced proudly. 

“That is lovely.”

“You can thank Martha Stewart for that,” Will replied as he sat on Hannibal’s lap and gave Hannibal another forkful. Will then smiled and said, “It’s 10:48 a.m., my name is Will Graham, and I’m sitting on Hannibal Lecter’s lap, feeding him breakfast.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes,” Will replied as he gave him a bite of bacon. “Here’s a scary thought. What if none of this had happened? What if the pendulum had swung just slightly to the right or left?”

Hannibal thought about it and said, “Then we both would have continued being alone. You were alone because you are unique. And I was as alone as you were -- no one was ever good enough for me.”

“That’s one of things I love about you, Hannibal,” Will laughed as he turned back to look at Hannibal, “your shyness and uncertainty.” Hannibal chuckled as Will continued, “Most people have an inferiority complex but you, Doctor, have a superiority complex.”

“I cannot help it if I am superior to most.”

Will laughed again, “Such modesty. _Such_ modesty. So there really hasn’t been anyone else in your life other than Elvire, Aleksander, and me?” He took a long sip of coffee.

Hannibal leaned his head on Will’s shoulder, “There was a brief affair while I was at Johns Hopkins but that’s all. Being involved with someone wasn’t anything I was particularly interested in. I was too busy with my residency, and never seriously considered love as an option.”

“Because no one was good enough for you?” Will teased.

“No, because I just didn’t feel like sharing my life. My therapist once said that I spent a lot of time building walls and I was content within them. She said one day someone would be clever enough to climb over my walls. Whether or not I accepted and trust them once they did, would be something else entirely.”

“You see a therapist?”

“Yes, of course. Every psychiatrist should see one. It affords more clarity for yourself, and in how you see others.”

“Therapy has never worked on me -- of course, you know that. So...have I been clever enough? Have I breached your walls and earned the right to be with you? See you?”

“Yes, my clever boy,” Hannibal smiled, then added, “Trust has always been difficult for me...it does not come easily. But I trust you, Will.”

Will held out his hand, and Hannibal slowly put his over it and then said once more quietly, “I trust you.”

They both remained silent for a few moments, each wondering what the other was contemplating. Will then turned and gave Hannibal a quick kiss on the lips. “Now, what?” Will asked.

“I suppose I can clear the kitchen and then if you like, we can go to the study and I can light the fireplace. I would like you to pose for me.”

“You mean you aren’t going to just do it surreptitiously, the way you normally do?”

“I don’t always--”

“Yes, yes you do. Most of the time. How many sketches do you need of my ‘back pockets,’ anyway?”

Hannibal laughed, “I will let you know when I have reached my quota.”

The phone rang, and Will looked at Hannibal. “Do you want me to grab that?”

Hannibal nodded. Will got up, took the phone and handed it to Hannibal.

“Hello? Ah, yes. Mrs. Komeda.”

Hannibal pointed at the phone, then at Will with a look of mock disapproval. Will rolled his eyes.

“I apologize profusely. Yes, I am disappointed as well. I wasn’t feeling well last night...yes, it seemed prudent to stay at home rather than cough throughout the production.”

Will smirked and mouthed the word, “Liar,” then gave Hannibal a quick wink.

“Yes, you’ll meet him soon enough. Thank you for calling. I think I’ll go back to bed. Yes, thank you.”

Hannibal ended the call and looked at Will.

"Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive, Doctor Lecter,” Will said crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows at Hannibal.

“Mongoose, what should I have said? My partner seduced me and I found it impossible to ignore his siren song?”

“Siren song? That implies I’m your doom -- wait, did you just call me your partner?”

“Did I?”

Will nodded, “You absolutely did.”

“And?”

“And I think I like it. It implies a relationship built on equality, a partnership of the best kind. Working through everything together...”

Hannibal smiled, “Very well then. I’ve been promoted from boyfriend to partner.”

“As have I,” Will said with a smile. “I’ll have new business cards printed for you. Now let’s go to the study so you can sketch my ass some more.”


	3. Chapter 3

Hannibal drew the curtains slightly to darken the study. The fireplace in turn created some lovely shadows in the room. Hannibal walked Will over to the fireplace, and pulled the red sweater over Will’s head. He tossed it onto the sofa in the middle of the room. He then pulled down the pajama pants, Will holding onto Hannibal’s shoulders for balance; one foot out, then the other. Hannibal lowered Will onto the floor.

“Sit and cross your legs, please. Now lean back on your arms.” He kissed Will once and said, “Thank you.”

Hannibal sat about five feet away from Will with his sketchpad in lap. He took his vine charcoal and quickly covered the entire sheet using light strokes. With his chamois, he blended the charcoal to create a delicate dark layer. Hannibal then looked at Will, with his head cocked and eyes slightly squinted. 

“Wow. You are serious about that, aren’t you?” Will said with a small laugh.

“Shh...I’m concentrating.”

“Are you going to stick out your tongue next?”

Hannibal raised an eyebrow and put his sketchpad down. He crawled over to Will, whose breath immediately began to hitch upon seeing Hannibal approach.

“What was that about my tongue?” he asked as he aligned his body over Will’s.

Will swallowed slowly then responded voice gravelly, “Are you going to stick out your tongue next?” 

Hannibal reached up to stroke Will’s face, then pulled Will’s hair back roughly, smudges of charcoal on Will’s cheekbone. He licked and parted his lips as Hannibal face loomed over his. Neither of them shying away from eye contact.

“Whenever my life would become too chaotic,” Will said, “I would always retreat to the stream in my mind. I’m fly-fishing, peacefully, alone and content.”

“And now?” 

“Now you reside there, it’s just you. I wade into you.”

Hannibal straddled Will, and pushed him down slowly as he said, “Put your head back. Close your eyes. Wade into the quiet of the stream.”

Hannibal unbuttoned his pajama top, while Will reached up to pull off Hannibal’s pants. Their actions suddenly became frantic. Will moaned as Hannibal tightly gripped his cock and Will’s; Hannibal’s weight on top of Will grounding him, making him feel centered. Will wrapped his legs around Hannibal’s waist, as Hannibal began stroking their cocks.

Will flung his arms around Hannibal’s neck, seeking his mouth; their lips crashed as they met. Hannibal grunted as Will pleaded into his mouth. No one was sure, exactly, what Will’s pleas were for but Hannibal was ready to oblige in any and every way as their bodies pressed tightly together. Will rocked into Hannibal, mouths locked together, tongues plundering. Will came first, and cried out “I love you,” again and again. And when Hannibal came a few moments later, he gripped Will tightly, afraid that if he did not he might vanish.

Not only had Will climbed over Hannibal’s walls, he had razed them. 

**+++**

**Saturday, Late Afternoon**

After some cajoling, Hannibal convinced Will they should shower. 

“Fine,” Will whined. “Let me know when the water is ready,” he called out as he reclined lazily in bed.

“Will?”

“Hmm?”

“What did you do?”

“What do you mean?” 

“My neck.”

“Oh…” Will said as he sat up and instantly looked repentant. He walked over to the bathroom and stood next to Hannibal, who was looking at his neck in the mirror. A giant hickey, dark and angry, sat just above Hannibal’s clavicle. 

“I may have gone a little overboard,” Will said with a small frown.

“I can’t see patients looking like this.”

“Do you have any turtlenecks?” Will offered.

“No, I don’t own any polo-necks.”

Will laughed, “Okay, Dr. Pompous. I bet you have an ascot you can wear.”

“During the day?”

Hannibal Lecter, betrayed by good taste.

“A jaunty scarf?” Will said with a smirk.

“I’m glad you find this humorous, Will.” Hannibal said dryly.

Will tried to rein in his smile, then with mock solemnity said, “I offer my neck in retribution.”

Hannibal turned quickly, snatched Will and leaned him against the sink. Will slowly threw his head back exposing his neck, presenting his pulsing carotid artery as he closed his eyes. Hannibal watched the blood flow for several seconds, imaging how beautiful Will would look as it poured slowly out, eyes going dark just for him. The image caused a conflict of emotions within Hannibal. He raised his hand to touch it, and pressed his palm against Will’s entire neck.

“You are fortunate that I love you and do not wish you any harm or humiliation -- especially at work.”

“Aren’t I though?” Will replied sassily.

Hannibal smiled, and took Will by the hand. “Come, the shower is ready.”

**+**

Will poured Thé Noir 29 shower gel onto the loofah and began scrubbing Hannibal’s back, as Hannibal hummed happily.

“I think we should order some pizza tonight, love” Will said scrubbing in a clockwise motion as fragrant suds formed.

“Pizza? I had planned on roasting a chicken for you.”

Will dipped down to scrub the back of Hannibal’s legs and his calves. “Mmm, I love your roasted chicken but can we just have some pizza for dinner? Lift.”

Hannibal bent his knee and Will scrubbed Hannibal’s foot. He turned to look at Will over his shoulder, “I suppose. If that’s what you would like.”

Will smiled, “Thanks! Other foot.” Hannibal obliged. 

When they were done with their shower, Will got out first and walked out of the bedroom. Hannibal smiled when he was drying off and saw the heart Will had drawn on the steamy bathroom mirror. Heaven have mercy on his soul.


	4. Chapter 4

They spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening in bed. Hannibal sketched each of Will’s dogs from memory, while Will read an old copy of Foucault’s Pendulum he found in Hannibal’s study; their feet touching, as they felt the need to always be touching. Always.

When the doorbell rang, Will excitedly jumped up, “That must be our pizza!” 

Hannibal smiled as Will grabbed Hannibal’s robe and bounded out of the room. He sighed and prepared himself for whatever greasy thing Will had ordered for him. It had pepperoni, he knew that much -- but who knows what kind of cheese it would have.

Will finished tying his robe, and flung open the door expecting to see a delivery boy from Matthew’s, instead stood a small woman with a severe black pageboy, a fur-trimmed coat and very red lipstick. In her hand was a small paper bag.

“Hello,” she said with a smile, looking Will up and down. “Well, you must be Will Graham.”

Will tightened his robe around his neck, “Um, yes...Mrs. Komeda?”

“Lovely to meet you.”

“Please, come in. I’m sorry, I thought you were our pizza.”

“Hannibal? Pizza? Well, it must be love,” she said as she came in and put the bag down on the hallway table.

Will took her coat, she then picked the bag up once again and said, “Hannibal said he wasn’t feeling well, so I brought some chicken soup for the poor man. But, it seems his health has _improved_?”

Will blushed and said, “I’ll let Hannibal know you’re here. Excuse me.” He then ran upstairs -- robe flapping behind him -- as Mrs. Komeda very quickly and discreetly took a photo with her cell phone.

Will burst into the bedroom and whispered, “Your friend is downstairs.”

Hannibal looked at Will over his reading glasses and said, “My friend?” And then looked as if he was completely at a loss for words. “Who?”

“I know, Mr. Popularity, you can’t imagine who the hell would come to your door but it’s that lady. The one we were supposed to meet at the opera last night.”

“Mrs. Komeda? Is here? Now?”

Will nodded quickly, “She brought you soup because you were _sick_.”

“Oh dear.”

“No shit. Come on, Pants on Fire, put something on and let’s go see your friend.”

**+**

Mrs. Komeda smiled when Hannibal walked into the kitchen, with Will right behind. “Mrs. Komeda, what a surprise.”

“Hannibal, dear. I’m so sorry to intrude and arrive unannounced but I know you would not have missed the opera unless you were really not feeling well. I took pity on you and felt it was my duty as a close acquaintance to bring you some sustenance.” She held out the paper bag.

“Ah, yes. Thank you,” Hannibal replied as he reached for it.

“It’s Mamma’s Chicken Noodle Soup from Attman’s Deli. You know I don’t cook, Hannibal but this is the next best thing. I had Marie pick it up.”

“I’m sorry -- have you met Will?” Hannibal said as Will stood behind him.

“Yes, the dear boy opened the door for me.”

“Again, I’m sorry to have answered the door like this,” Will said as he smiled uncomfortably at Mrs. Komeda.

“Hannibal, he’s darling,” she cooed.

Hannibal nodded, and remained silent. Hannibal and Will then stood awkwardly as Mrs. Komeda looked at them both, smiling, with one eyebrow raised.

“Well then,” she said rising from her chair, “I should get going and let you two get back to it -- or whatever.” 

“Would you like some coffee? We just made a fresh pot.” Hannibal asked.

Will rolled his eyes, damn him and his manners.

“No, no. I’m fine. This has been...marvelous,” she said as she began to walk out of the kitchen.

“It was nice meeting you,” Will called out as he walked behind her.

“Of course,” she replied.

When Hannibal opened the door, the pizza delivery boy stood there about to ring the doorbell.

Mrs. Komeda smiled once again and said, “Hannibal, your pizza has arrived.”

**+**

“Christ, that was ass awkward as hell,” Will said as he took some plates from the cupboard. 

Hannibal sighed, “I am sure it will be quite the topic of conversation at the next opera board meeting.”

“And you asked her to stay for coffee?”

“I couldn’t be rude, Will.”

“Heaven forbid, Hannibal. Heaven forbid,” Will said with a smile. 

Will flipped open the pizza box lid and took a deep inhale. “Take a whiff, love. That’s the stuff. And I’ve decided we’ll be eating it in bed.”

Hannibal leaned in and examined the pizza with a furrowed brow. It was clear Will had ordered the greasiest, cheesiest pizza ever. At that point Hannibal's seriously contemplated telling Will he had some plastic tarp they could put on the bed, follow-up questions be damned. 

Then Will picked up a slice, took a bite and suddenly Hannibal found himself _very_ interested in pizza. Hannibal watched fascinated, as Will closed his eyes and chewed slowly, savoring the cheesy mess in his hands. Hannibal’s breath stuttered, as he observed Will swallow, lips covered in a sheen of oil.

“Do you want some wine?” Will asked.

“Pardon?”

“Wine. Should we have some?”

“Yes, sure,” Hannibal said trying to keep his wits about him.

Will grabbed a napkin, and wiped his mouth, “Mmm, so good.” He then disappeared into Hannibal’s pantry and came back with a bottle of very expensive wine.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed the bottle to Hannibal.

"Will, you do realize this wine is meant for finer meals?" 

Will smiled, "Yeah, but I’m about to let you eat pizza off my ass so..."

“This wine is perfect for our meal,” Hannibal immediately added.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Will replied piling several slices onto each plate.

**+++**

**Sunday, Midnight**

Will was at the stove, where he stirred the chocolate as it slowly melted.

“Make sure water from the bath doesn’t splash in there. The chocolate will seize.”

Will gave Hannibal a quick salute, “Yes, sir.”

Hannibal stood near the mixer, separating egg whites from yolks. 

“How long will these take once we put them in the oven?” Will asked.

Hannibal cracked another egg, “About 30 minutes.”

“The chocolate is almost melted,” Will said.

“Good. I shall start beating the egg whites.” 

Will turned off the stove and walked over to watch Hannibal. He was still in his pajamas but had his sleeves rolled up, exposing his forearms as he turned the mixing bowl while the egg whites were whipped. Will’s eyes followed Hannibal’s strong lines from his shoulders, down his biceps, triceps, forearms, to his strong hands. Hannibal’s lips quirked as he noticed and then started playing dirty.

“Of course, the best way to do this, Will, is by hand.” Hannibal turned off the mixer, grabbed a whisk and got to work. Will smiled, as he realized what Hannibal is doing. He didn’t care that Hannibal was being deliberate with his actions as long as it was just for him, Will had no problem enjoying the show.

“Yes, I see,” Will said as he leaned against the counter watching.

“Once the egg whites form stiff peaks, they are ready,” Hannibal said whipping even faster.

“ _Stiff_ peaks, you say?” Will said with a grin.

“Mongoose, must you sexualize everything?” Hannibal chided.

“You said that with a straight face -- I’m impressed, love,” Will laughed.

Hannibal pouted, “Will, I’m baking this for you. You could be more appreciative and less...sassy.”

Will smirked, “Sassy. God, you’re adorable.”

Hannibal hummed and continued whisking.

“As I was saying, once the whites form stiff peaks, we can gently fold the chocolate in. Please bring the chocolate.”

Will kissed Hannibal on the cheek and then walked over to the stove, grabbed the bowl of chocolate, took a rubber spatula from the counter and handed them both to Hannibal. Will continued watching as Hannibal gently folded the chocolate into the egg whites, then poured the mixture into four ramekins and placed them on a baking sheet.

“Into the oven for 30 minutes, but I’ll check in on them in about 25.” Hannibal slid the sheet into the oven, as Will hopped onto the counter and sat watching.

Hannibal set the timer, turned around and frowned upon seeing Will sitting there, swinging his feet. “Will, there are chairs here.”

“I know, but I want to sit on the counter.”

“But I prepare our meals on the counter.”

“You didn’t seem to mind practically ripping my pants off and going down on me on the counter. And might I remind you my bare ass was actually _on_ the counter?”

Hannibal tried not to smile and instead said, “Insolent.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. “I believe the proper question is what would you like me to do about it?”

Will shrugged and swung his feet even faster.

Hannibal walked up to Will and placed himself in between his legs. Will instantly wrapped them around Hannibal and said, “I think I have some ideas…”


	5. Chapter 5

**Sunday, Late Morning**

Will carefully handed Hannibal another cup of coffee, as Hannibal sleepily yawned. Will then climbed into bed, balancing his coffee so as not to spill while simultaneously admiring Hannibal’s bedhead. 

“Your hair is crazy and fantastic, right now,” Will said.

“Is it?” Hannibal asked and then took a sip of coffee.

“I like it. It makes you look very carefree and out of control.”

Hannibal smiled, “Well, if I am carefree and out of control it is because of you.”

Will leaned against the headboard, and sighed, “I don’t want to go home.”

“Then don’t. Stay. Forever.”

“Soon,” Will replied. “Soon. I miss my dogs, and I need some clothes,” he added with a gentle laugh.

“I suppose we should decide what we want to do,” Hannibal said.

“What do you mean?”

“Do we want to live here? Buy something that suits us both?”

“You mean you don’t want to move out to Wolf Trap with us?” Will said with a completely serious expression on his face.

“Well...I..”

Will laughed, “I’m kidding! Don’t worry.”

Hannibal sighed, “Yes, of course...but I was thinking, actually.”

“Yes?”

“I want you to keep your home in Wolf Trap.”

“Why?” Will asked immediately jumping to the worst conclusion.

“Will, no,” Hannibal said as he looked right at him. “No, _mylimasis_. I was thinking that I know city life can be too much for you sometimes, so if you kept your house we could go out there for long weekends. You can fish, the dogs can run till they are exhausted, and we can be away from everyone whenever we like.”

“Oh,” Will grinned. “Are you sure? I want to help pay for our new place. If I sold my house, I could ---”

“I insist we keep your house. It is your haven.”

Will smiled, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and filled with an abundance of love for Hannibal. He didn’t know what to say, how to express everything that Hannibal was to him. So all he could say was, “Thank you.” 

Seeing such honest raw emotion in Will’s face, immediately made Hannibal feel like a fraud. Here was this man, who loved and trusted him above all else -- and he didn’t even know all of Hannibal. It seemed unfair somehow, and as though it cheapened their love.

“Will, I have something I must confess but…”

“Yes?”

Hannibal looked at Will, and remained silent.

Will face then grew somber, “Hannibal what is it?” Will could feel the tension in Hannibal. There was a hint a sadness to it as well as a bit of anger. Will didn’t know what to make of this at all. “Hannibal? Tell me please.”

How could he tell him that he’s the man he’s been looking for, that he’s the monster responsible for some of his nightmares? He would lose Will for certain, and now -- now it was a prospect he could not bear to face. Still, if he did not tell him, and Will found out on his own, there would be no forgiveness, of that he was sure.

“Yes, I must confess I…”

“Yes?”

“I...hope the dogs are doing well.”

Will exhaled loudly then smiled, “You do? God, I thought you were going to say something terrible.”

“No. 

“Aw, you miss them.”

“Yes...I miss the dogs.”

“It’s okay to miss them. You’re still you,” Will said with a smile. Will leaned over and hugged Hannibal, he placed his head on Hannibal’s shoulder and said, “You are precious, and so very precious to me.”

Will then closed his eyes tightly, and smiled, feeling Hannibal’s net of calm and safety drape over him. Everything was right with the world once again; his foundation stable -- moorings no longer built on sand. For as long as Will was with Hannibal, he felt true, he felt validated, he felt accepted and cherished, and above all he felt loved and he would _never_ give that up.

And so he was terrified because for a moment there, Will thought Hannibal was going to confess about being the Ripper. 

He really didn’t want to have that conversation right now, or ever. Love really was a mutually unspoken pact to ignore the worst in one another in order to continue enjoying the best. Hannibal was his way out dark places, even if Hannibal was his own dark place. 

No, he would never want to talk about it. God only knows where Will would be without him. And as long as Hannibal continued to behave, he wouldn’t have to know.

**Author's Note:**

> * This work is for [Victorine](http://archiveofourown.org/users/victorine), who accidentally prompted this fic with [a comment](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8339254/comments/79678771).
>   
> 
> * Hannibal's bath gel: [Thé Noir 29](https://www.lelabofragrances.com/th-noir-29.html) smells like, “...bergamot, fig and bay leaves and the depth of cedar wood, vetiver and musk. A special extraction of black tea leaves wraps up the composition by bringing to the formula a dry, leafy, hay and tobacco.”
>   
> 
> * Of course Hannibal has [peanut butter](http://bit.ly/2eoMvLz) from Barneys, because _of course_.
>   
> 
> * Recipe for the [warm chocolate puddings](http://www.marthastewart.com/316088/warm-chocolate-puddings) Hannibal and Will make. I make these all the time.
>   
> 
> *   
> [Attman's Deli](http://www.attmansdeli.com/) in Baltimore.
>   
> 
> * Thank you and <3 to [Devereauxs_Disease](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Devereauxs_Disease/pseuds/Devereauxs_Disease) for looking this over and giving it her stamp of approval.


End file.
